SJRS Monthly Newsletter -December 2021
Saint Jerome Regional School
"Living Fearlessly Through Faith..."
Message From The Principal

Dear St. Jerome Regional School Family,
The school year is going so fast and it is hard to believe that the first Sunday of Advent is just around the corner. Advent is such a beautiful season.  During the season of Advent, we come together as a school family to light our Advent wreaths and pray as we eagerly await the birth of our Savior. The Christian custom of lighting the Advent wreath began in Germany in the 1600s. Today it is celebrated in churches and homes all over the world. The circular shape of the wreath reminds us that the love of God is without beginning or end. The evergreens represent the hope of everlasting happiness. The candles remind us that Jesus, the light of the world, came to earth to overcome the darkness of sin and selfishness. The purple candles represent our need to prepare for the coming of our Savior, and the pink, which is lit on the third week, reminds us to be joyful for the coming of the Lord is near. As we prepare to celebrate the great feast of Christmas – let us take this Advent Season as time to look deep into our hearts and truly prepare for the Lord.
God bless you and your families, 
Mrs. Amy M. Hannis-Miskar, Principal
Register for the 2022-2023 School Year

From October 18th until November 5th, registration for the 2022-2023 school year was only offered to our current families. We will soon begin our open enrollment period and we will be accepting new student registrations and we will be capping classes, if needed. We strongly encourage, if you haven't done so already, to register as soon as possible, as we expect many of our classes to be full and we CANNOT ensure there will be a spot available for your child after that date.

Information and forms were previously sent home. ***Please note: To officially register, both the form and fee per child needs to be handed into the office**

Thank you to all the families who have already registered!

262 SJRS Students and Counting!
Christian of the Month
The Christian of the Month Award recognizes students who display good character on a consistent basis and serve as student role models throughout the month. Students are nominated by their teachers based on the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Students chosen to receive this award will be acknowledged for their accomplishment in the monthly newsletter. Students will receive a dress down pass, Christian of the Month Certificate, Applebee's certificate. The students will be recognized in the monthly newsletter.

Bradley Sanzi has been chosen for this month's Preschool Christian of the Month. He is a very patient, honest and polite student. Bradley always shows an eagerness to learn and is a pleasure to have in class. He consistently does what is asked of him and takes pride in all of his work. Bradley is also quite helpful with his peers. Outside of school, Bradley enjoys the company of his brother and his dogs. He also enjoys riding his quad, swimming and eating his favorite sweets. Congratulations Bradley Sanzi on being chosen for this award! 

Henry Pham is Kindergarten Blue's November Christian of the Month. Henry is an eager student who is always excited about school. He shows great effort in completing his school work correctly and neatly. Henry is a kind boy who always has something positive to say to his teachers and friends. Henry can often be seen giving other students a thumbs-up when they answer a question. He is a happy little boy who loves his family. His favorite things to do at home are read books and tell stories every night with his family. Way to go, Henry! 

Kinsley Warden is Kindergarten Gold's Christian of the month. Kinsley is a very calm and quiet student. Kinsley is very neat and is always on task. She is very helpful and kind to her friends. Outside of school she enjoys dancing, hip hop and ballet at the Dance Factory. She also enjoys playing outside, swimming, and spending time with her family. Kinsley is kindhearted and caring with a contagious smile. Congratulations, Kinsley!

Nico Rojas is the November Christian of the Month for 1st Grade Gold. Nico is a very kind and caring young man. He is a responsible and hardworking student. Nico plays tee ball and enjoys playing outside. He especially likes to ride around his neighborhood on his pedal go-kart. He loves going on walks with his family. Congratulations Nico!

Lana Fenkner has been chosen as the Christian of the Month for First Grade Blue. She is a student who always does her very best each day. She continually helps her classmates. She shows respect towards adults and peers. She loves taking care of her animals, loves to play and always willing to help out at home. She enjoys swimming. She wants to be a teacher when she gets older. Congratulations Lana!

Brielle Hannis-Miskar is the Christian of the Month for 2nd Grade Blue. Brielle is a very respectful and friendly girl. She always wants to help people. She studies hard with her school work and always tries her best. When not in school Brielle loves to play outside, go swimming and she loves to go shopping. She is an amazing sister to Brynn (1st grade) and Brooke (7th grade). Brielle is a member of Divine Mercy Parish in Shenandoah. Congratulations, Brielle!

The second grade gold Christian of the Month for November is Aidan Sabol. Aidan is a hard worker and always tries his best. He is kind and respectful to the adults and students he interacts with daily. Aidan does not hesitate to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it. When he is not in school, Aidan enjoys playing the positions of short stop and third base on his baseball team. Aidan loves spending time with his family, especially his sister and cousins. He also loves telling jokes.

The Christian of the Month for third grade for the month of November is Nicholas Zawisza. Nick is a very active young boy who loves to play sports. He plays baseball, soccer, and basketball, and loves playing lots of positions but soccer goalie is his favorite. He also is a member of the Boy Scouts, where he has earned Bear Rank and won Most Patriotic and the Pinewood Derby Car competition. Nicholas is an altar server at St. Ambrose, and has played the piano for the past four years. Nicholas is a unique and endearing combination of mischievous and compassionate. He loves taking care of younger children and is always helping siblings or cousins. His laughter brightens everyone’s day, and he loves leaving notes proclaiming “Best Mom Ever” or “Best Dad Ever”. In the classroom, Nick is a very responsible and respectful student. He loves to participate and he is our “ King of Random Facts” because he knows so much about all subjects! Nicholas is a sweet and kind boy, and a joy to have in the classroom. Congratulations Nicholas! 

Fourth grade's Christian of the Month for November is Lillyana Zeiders. Lilly or LZ, as her classmates call her, is a quiet girl with a caring heart and a big smile. She is always very thoughtful and helpful, both in school and out. Lilly does not miss much, as she is always observing. In school, she is hardworking and a model student. Outside of school, Lilly loves to dance. She takes jazz from the Re-Action Studio of Dance. In her free time, Lilly enjoys doing arts and crafts, baking with her Nana, watching movies, listening to music, and taking pictures. As anyone who knows Lilly would attest, she has the ability to brighten your day just by being with you. Congratulations, Lillyana! We are so proud of you!

Rilyn Jones is fifth grade's Christian of the Month. She has been attending SJRS since Kindergarten and loves our school. She is always very helpful within the classroom. She is a very hard worker and always tries her best. Rilyn likes to help on her family farm taking care of their many animals; sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, cats and dogs. She especially loves her barn cat, Smokey. Rilyn will often go on hikes to check her deer cameras. Rilyn also plays basketball and soccer. Recently she started to play the Baritone and is excited to advance in music. Congratulations Rilyn!

Amelia Degler has been chosen for the 6th Grade Christian of the Month. Amelia is a hard-working student who always tries her best. She never hesitates to lend a helping hand to her classmates and teacher. Outside of school Amelia plays softball for the Anthracite League. She is the catcher and also plays in right field. She is a member of the Dance Factory where she enjoys hiphop dance. In her free time Amelia loves to cook and bake and also loves DIY projects. She is a big help with her little brother and cousins. Congratulations, Amelia!

James Gelatko is the 7th Grade Christian of the Month. James is a conscientious student who always strives to do his best. He consistently volunteers in class and offers a lot to class discussions. James is proud to have been elected Class Representative and is enjoying student government activities. James had a great first season with Marian Catholic Jr. High Cross Country Team and looks forward to Track and Field. He is running some 5Ks and is keeping active since the season ended. James is an altar server at St. Joseph of the Panther Valley Church. James has a great sense of humor and enjoys down time with family and friends as well as his 3 Labrador Retrievers. His family is proud of his dedication to his school and activities as well as his willingness to help and support others. Congratulations, James!

Madeline Daynorowicz is the 8th Grade Christian of the Month.  Madeline is thoughtful and kind in her interactions with others. A conscientious, hard-working student, Madeline completes all assignments with detail and care. She also helps to keep our classroom clean and orderly by sweeping the floor.  Madeline is a member of the Shenandoah Shock Soccer Team, playing the position of right striker. She is also a catcher for Mahanoy City Softball. Outside of school she enjoys drawing, reading, and watching John Green. Madeline plans to attend Marian High School. She is interested in participating in cross country, soccer, and softball at Marian. Congratulations, Madeline!
Feather Wars Contest
We are beyond proud of our Student Council who raised $2000 with their Feather Wars Competition. The winning class was 5th grade with 566 feathers! These school leaders have decided to use a portion of the money for an $850 donation to the Richardson family AND commit a $500 matching donation for #SpreadtheSpirit day of online giving! #SJRSproud
Peace Poster Contest
Winners of the 2021 McAdoo Lions Club Peace Poster contest are:

First place- Quentin Petschauer
Second Place- Madeline Daynorowicz
Honorable Mention- Esme Petschauer

Quentin’s poster moved on to compete at the district level. Congratulations to our winners!
Congratulations to Quentin Petschauer on winning the Lions Club District 14-U Peace Poster Contest. Quentin beat out entries from Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill counties. Standing with Quentin is the Lions Club 14-U District Governor. His poster will now move on to compete at the state level. Good luck Quentin!


American Legion Post 123 coloring contest
Lansford American Legion Post 123 sponsored a Veterans Day coloring contest for grades K-4. The winners will receive a $20 gift card! All of the coloring sheets will be distributed at local nursing homes, personal care home and veteran organizations to show them our appreciation on this special day. The winners are:
4th- Cody Salko
3rd- Victoria Collins
2nd-Landen Yanett
1st- Lucia Sanfilippo
K- Vance Krall

Congratulations!
Congratulations to the Student Council Sponsored Halloween Coloring Contest Winners- they will each receive a Dress Down Day Pass.
Preschool- Marida Blazosky
K Gold- Agnes Young
K Blue- Lula Angelo
1 Gold- Lucia Sanfilippo
1 Blue Piera Basile
2 Gold- Aneesa Howay
2 Blue Paige Miller
Grade 3- Maci Huseby
Grade 4- Evrett Angelo
Grade 5- Carly Green
Grade 6- Vicki Lashock
Grade 7- Sage Kopp
Grade 8- Andi Girard
Congratulations to the Student Council Sponsored Candy Guessing Game Winners -the Prize is a Candy Jar
K Gold- Philip Gallagher
Grade 5- Abby Whitaker
Grade 8- Derek Schlosser
SAVE THE DATE!
This year we will be launching our 4th annual day of online giving on December 17th! More information to follow for #SpreadtheSpirit
Gift Certificates and Scrip Certificates           
These are great ways to help with tuition costs. If you have any questions please call the office. Many people are saving hundreds of dollars in tuition by purchasing certificates. Certificates are sold from the school office daily during school hours and scrip orders are taken on Tuesdays.   The last order before Christmas is Tuesday, December 14th.

Tuition Chance
This year we will again sell tuition chances to help you win money toward your tuition bill. The chances are $1 each, and paper slips are in the family envelope. If you want to purchase the chance, fill out the slip and enclose money in an envelope marked tuition chance. This is not a fundraiser. All money collected will be awarded to the winning student’s tuition account. If your tuition is fully paid, credit will be applied to next year’s bill. The winner for November is Zeiders in grades 4 and 2. The amount of tuition credit is $191. Thank you to all who took chances. Slips are enclosed for next month’s drawing which will be on December 20th.
 
REMINDERS 

-Please check the December calendar for important dates and the Missions Project for December.  

  • There is NO SCHOOL on November 24th, 25th, 26th and 29th. School reopens on November 30th.
  • The 1st Trimester ends November 23rd. Report Cards will be sent home on December 8th.

- December Missions –
November/December Mission Projects- Students are asked to once again participate in the Toys for Tots Program. New, unwrapped toys will be accepted until December 3rd .
We will also have a dress down day for all students on December 3rd. A donation $1 or more is appreciated to help a family in need.

Home and School News

We encourage all parents to get involved with Home and School. We will need much help, especially this year with our fundraising efforts. We encourage everyone to share ideas with HSA.

2021-2022 Home and School Officers

President- Kathy Reaman
Vice-President- Kelly Kisenwether
Secretary- Megan DeAngelo
Treasurer- Billie Jo Wetterau
Coordinator of Fundraising Activities- Karen Weicker
Coordinator of Outreach- Maria McGinley

Alumni and Staff Videos sharing stories about SJRS for the
100th Year Celebration. 
As you all know, SJRS is celebrating our 100th anniversary this school year, and to mark the centennial, we spoke with some of our alumni and staff for a special video project this summer. There will be a series of mini videos that we plan to share in the next few months with all of you. They were filmed in different locations at the school this summer, with Principal Hannis-Miskar conducting the interviews. The footage of the students and staff was taken on the first day of school this year. We hope you enjoy hearing what everyone has to say about SJRS. The second video is all about the SJRS Family.
To view our Health and Safety Plan and other COVID related information/documents please click HERE.

Please continue to use the daily home screening guide for students found below.

We continue to ask parents to keep their children home if they exhibit any symptoms so that we are able to provide the safest learning environment possible at SJRS.  

We remind all of our families of the importance of wearing a face mask, keeping socially distant and disinfecting hands and surfaces regularly.

Thank you!
The faculty, staff and administration ask for your continued prayers, support, cooperation and dedication to Catholic education. If you have any questions or concerns, you can call the school office at 570-668-2757. We will be happy to help you! Thank you for being part of the SJRS Family! Thank you for all the sacrifices you make to send your child to this school! In order to save time and money, we will continue to use email to communicate with you. If you have an email address, please check it and look for our messages. If you are not receiving our e-newsletters, please send a note to the office to be added to the email list. 



Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, we ask for Your help as we begin this new school year. Allow us to experience Your presence in the many blessings You put before us. Open our eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities that this new school year brings. Open our heart and mind to new friends, new teachers and new staff members. Give us a generous spirit to be enthusiastic with our studies and courage to accept new opportunities. Help us to be attentive to one another and let us experience Your presence in our new friends. Jesus, inspire us to do our best this year! Amen

Let us pray for:
 
Our school family

The Richardson Family

a Special Intention

Everyone that has been impacted by COVID-19

Your continued prayers, support, cooperation and dedication to Catholic education.

Your continued kind words toward each other.
 
Email your prayer requests to [email protected] or send a note to the office.
We will list the names that you would like us to pray for in our monthly newsletters.
Turning Taxes into Scholarships
If you are paying Pennsylvania state income taxes, why not turn your tax dollars into need based scholarships for Saint Jerome Regional School? Pennsylvania provides a 90% tax credit to individuals who donate funds for Catholic School Education.

To participate, an individual must meet one of the following financial criteria:
Individual income of $200,000 in each of the two previous years OR
Joint income of $300,000 in each of the two previous years OR
New worth of $1,000,000 excluding your primary residence

The gift of a Catholic Education is an investment in our youth, our future, and our faith.
To learn more, please inquire at St. Jerome Regional School (570) 668-2757 or contact:
John Fierro (Diocese) 610-866-0581 (ext 2344) / [email protected]

For more information on the EPSF (Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation) please go to our SJRS support page.